After 19 years in Europe, Ivan Rakitic has decided to move to the Saudi Pro League. The playmaker has terminated his contract with Sevilla on a mutual agreement and will sign with Al-Shabab, having already passed the medical tests. The 35 year old Croatian had spells with Basel, Schalke, Sevilla two times, and Barcelona in Europe. Rakitic has won it all on club level, having triumphed twice in the Europa League with Sevilla, and won the Champions League with Barcelona, alongside 4 LaLiga, 4 Spanish Cup, and 2 Spanish Super Cup titles.
🚨⚪️⚫️🇸🇦 Ivan Rakitić has signed his contract termination at Sevilla today as he’s set to join Al Shabab.
Medical tests already completed. Rakitić, one more joining Saudi Pro League. pic.twitter.com/9qQRrhIBM5
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) January 30, 2024
Rakitic has been part of Croatia’s national team which went on to reach the 2018 World Cup final in Russia and the semi-finals four years later in Qatar. His new team Al-Shabab currently occupies 14th spot in the Saudi Pro League standings, having collected 21 points in the course of the season thus far. As recently as last week the team was linked with Jose Mourinho, but the Portuguese manager decided against moving to Saudi Arabia and now Al-Shabab is still in search of a new head coach.